Billy Steinberg, Hit Songwriter of ‘Like a Virgin’ and ‘True Colors,’ Dies at 74

Billy Steinberg, the lyricist behind some of the most enduring pop anthems of the 1980s and 90s – including Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors,” and Heart’s “Alone” – died Monday at his home in Brentwood, California. He was 74.

The news was confirmed by his lawyer, Laurie Soriano, who stated the cause of death was cancer. Steinberg’s passing marks the end of an era for a songwriter who profoundly shaped the sound of a generation.

Steinberg possessed a remarkable gift for capturing the raw emotionality of love and longing, particularly within the framework of the power ballad. “Like a Virgin,” co-written with Tom Kelly, wasn’t simply a chart-topping hit; it was a cultural touchstone, spending six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1984 and early 1985. The song’s lyrics, exploring themes of vulnerability and transformation – “I was beat, incomplete / I’d been had, I was sad and blue” followed by the promise of renewal – resonated deeply with audiences.

His collaborative partnership with Kelly proved exceptionally fruitful, yielding a string of further number one hits: “True Colors,” “Alone,” Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional,” and the Bangles’ “Eternal Flame.” These songs weren’t merely commercially successful; they became ingrained in the cultural fabric, frequently appearing in film, television and continuing to be covered by artists today.

Beyond these signature tracks, Steinberg’s songwriting credits include a diverse and impressive catalog. He penned lyrics for the Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand by You,” the Divinyls’ “I Touch Myself,” and “I Drove All Night,” a song that found success in versions by both Cyndi Lauper and Roy Orbison. This breadth demonstrates his versatility and ability to adapt his style to different artists and genres.

Steinberg’s path to becoming a celebrated songwriter wasn’t conventional. Born in Fresno, California, he moved with his family to Palm Springs, where his father operated a table grape vineyard in the Coachella Valley. He initially pursued a degree in literature at Bard College in the late 1960s, but struggled with anxiety, ultimately leaving school after his junior year. He returned to Palm Springs and worked alongside his father in the vineyards, using the time to hone his craft, writing lyrics while driving a red Ford pickup truck.

His early musical endeavors included forming a new wave band called Billy Thermal, which secured a record deal with producer Richard Perry’s Planet Records in the late 1970s. Though the band’s album remained unreleased, several of their songs were recorded by established artists like Linda Ronstadt and Pat Benatar. Ronstadt’s rendition of “How Do I Make You,” from her 1980 album “Mad Love,” reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, marking an early success for Steinberg’s songwriting.

Following the dissolution of Billy Thermal, Steinberg joined forces with Tom Kelly, forming the duo i-Ten. They released an album in 1983 that included an early iteration of “Alone,” foreshadowing the massive success that lay ahead. The partnership with Kelly proved to be a defining one, establishing Steinberg as a dominant force in pop songwriting.

Steinberg’s contributions to the music industry were formally recognized with a Grammy Award in 1997 for his work on Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You,” which won Album of the Year. He was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation.

He is survived by his wife, Trina, and his sons, Ezra and Max. Billy Steinberg’s songs weren’t just hits; they were emotional landscapes that captured the zeitgeist of an era, and his influence will continue to be felt for years to come. His ability to articulate universal feelings of love, loss, and hope through deceptively simple yet profoundly effective lyrics ensured his place in the pantheon of great songwriters.